Lisa Murkowski

I appreciate you stating not only that you will work with us on this.

I think it is clear that we can and we must do more.

But you have to admit that that's pretty minimal, given the totality of the, of what hydropower has to offer.

We commend both you and Senator Murkowski for seeking input on the policy.

I consider it to be one of our hardest-working renewable resources and, unfortunately, one that sometimes gets overlooked a little bit in the clean energy debate.

I don't think it's something that we appreciate as fully as we need to.

It's clean, it's efficient, it's inexpensive. Yet, despite tremendous benefits, I'm amazed at how often it seems to be undervalued as a resource.

I do agree that we must do more to really understand what that nexus is, and how it works.

I commend the sponsors of the legislation, appreciate Senator Murkowski taking the lead on this legislation.

Do we need a Department of Water?

It's a misconception that the hydropower resource is tapped out.

So, how am I to interpret this statement when you say that the Department's priorities are set by the budget?

I hope FERC will continue to move and work with all of us.

I guess I look at those budget numbers and would suggest that we're clearly picking winners and losers.

I clearly like what Secretary Chu has stated about hydropower, about it being an incredible source.

There's certainly no question that hydropower is, and must continue to be, part of our energy solution.

I think that is--that is a good move, that it is positive. We certainly encourage that.

I think we would be interested in perhaps learning a little bit more as you sort through where you feel not only the most economic, but really in terms of greatest efficiencies and performance needs.

It is important to have some kind of an understanding that the confines within which the Park Service operates will be respected.

I think the message from the Park Service needs to be one that is a genuine outreach and not just based on one incident, but a continuing outreach and a continuing collaboration.

The actions by the Park Service are being viewed as an over reach, an over reach of your agency into the authority of others.

It sometimes takes just one incident. In this case, one that turned out to be very high profile, very public and very unfortunate.

It is to operate, to build, maintain our parks. It has nothing to do with boating safety or boating licensing registrations.

Right now the local people do not feel that the Park Service is engaging with them in a manner that is anything close to being described as neighborly.

These funds should go to their intended and authorized use.